Mayawati reveals why she reads only written speeches

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, who on Friday appointed her younger brother Anand Kumar as the party's national vice president, has revealed why she reads only written speeches and does not speak extempore.

Speaking for the first time before her party workers on her medical condition which she said has forced her to read written texts, she said she lost one of her glands in 1996.

"One of the two glands in my throat was removed by doctors in an operation and so I cannot stress my throat too much," Mayawati said.

She said the doctors had advised her to read only written texts.

Mayawati added that she has to work very hard in first writing and then reading it whereas it is easy to speak extempore.

The BSP supremo also today accused the BJP of targetting her for raising a voice against alleged EVM tampering and said she was not averse to shaking hands with other parties in her fight against the saffron party on the issue.